Unit 1 [PDF] - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

American Black Bear. USFWS Photo
Front
Bear tracks.
Front
4” width by 4.5” length
Rear
3.5” width by 7” length
Rear
Gestation Period: the time in
which a fetus develops, beginning
with fertilization and ending at
birth.
Chapter 4 - Wisconsin’s Furbearer Resource
Furbearer Present in Wisconsin, but Currently No Trapping Season
American Black Bear
Ursus americanus; Order Carnivora; Family Ursidae
Description:
Black bear measure 3-6.5 feet in length. Males usually weigh an average
of 130-300 pounds, with some exceeding 600 pounds. Females are smaller,
weighing about 90-150 pounds. Black and brown are the two major color
phases.
Biology:
Females usually breed every other year, beginning when they are 3-4 years
old. Breeding takes place during the summer and 2-4 cubs are born in winter
dens. Cubs remain with their mother until they are about a year-and-a-half old.
Habitat:
American black bear are the most abundant and widespread of the three bear
species found in North America, occurring in 42 of the continental United
States and 11 Canadian provinces. They are common in the forested regions of
central and northern Wisconsin, but are also found in southern parts of the state.
General habitat requirements include relatively remote landscapes with dense
vegetation and abundant food sources. Black bear are omnivorous, meaning
they feed on both plants and animals. Throughout the seasons, bear eat berries,
acorns, insect larvae and ants, eggs, birds, small mammals, fawns and carrion.
Black bear are considered a big game animal in Wisconsin. There is a hunting
season, but no trapping season at the time this manual was last reprinted.
Protected or Endangered Furbearers Present in Wisconsin
Gray Wolf
Canis lupus; Order: Carnivora; Family: Canidae
Description:
The gray wolf is the largest wild canine, reaching adult weights of 57-107
pounds (females average around 60 lbs. and males near 80 lbs. in Wisconsin).
Colors range from white to black, with most wolves in Wisconsin being a gray
color. Wolves normally carry their tails straight out, while the smaller coyote
holds the tail at a downward angle. Domestic dogs’ tails often times will curve
up.
Wisconsin Trapper Education Manual 42